p id="docs-internal-guid-ebf448c1-7fff-a870-50a7-0277d787375a" dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sorry it's been so long guys. The guy that is the main writer had to take a break for a bit and this is what he came back with. Hope you enjoy it!/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Main writer: King Evil/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Secondary writer editor: LittleRaccoon (me!)/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Disclaimer: We do not own anything expect the plot at this point. And even parts of that isn't owned by us./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Chapter key:/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Flashback/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thoughts/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Spoken words"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"(*) Scene change/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"-/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Night had pondered over Asgard. A harsh storm brewing with Thunder rumbling. The golden realm of paradise was nothing more than dire ash. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The alignment has been stopped, the 9 realms had been saved under Asgard's might, yet it was a hollow victory. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thor nodded to Heimdall and walked past leaving the Bifrost. It wasn't as cheerful as it should be. The dark elves had wreaked havoc trying to come get the aether. More significantly, Asgard had lost it's second prince. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Is he still recognised as a prince?,/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" His gut questioning him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As he neared the main chamber of the palace. All was silent. Darkness reined the halls of Asgard. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""All-father." grunted Thor. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Is it true?" the fallen shadow spoke from the throne. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thor eyed Odin. He wore his gold armour, but even thor could tell. Emotions damned the armour, tinted in a dull lighting. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes Father," Thor solemnly replied. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Odin uttered no words, he looked at Thor for what felt like a century, but merely lasted a few seconds. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Go find your mother," Odin whispered at long last. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Fa-"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""LEAVE!" Odin screamed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was a long time, since Odin has last screamed at Thor. Even more so, to see the seidr within burn. Asgard has greatly favoured men to follow the route of a warrior aspect, but every residing Asgardian and those outside of the realm knew, Odin was proficient in both arts, but even Thor knew knowing and seeing were two different matters. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Holding his tongue still, while various soldiers and servants ran about trying to put flames out, Thor watched how tapestries across the hall begun to blaze a dark pure blue. It was mesmerizing, Odin's seidr instinctively reacting to his emotions. Thor watched how the bright yellow tapestry flickered back and forth as it let of grey smoke. Sighing, he turned around and left the All-father. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The main tapestry behind glinted a faint green as it was washed out. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"(*)/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" It was beyond the darkest hours, glimpsing to the light of dawn when Odin finally decided to move. Ignoring plights, family and enquiries. It felt peaceful /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"in that moment,/span span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not being King/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", mused Odin. Remembering his last conversation with his youngest Son, Odin walked down the dark shallowed halls. Yes, the servants were around, various lords and soldiers moving and working, but that didn't matter, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not now anyway. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Asgard was always forgiving of themselves. Attributes metaphorically being a replica of humane emotion. They understood, the king needed to grieve. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sitting down on the stairs, he looked at where the winter casket laid. Having been discovered and preserved from the wreckage of the bifrost. It was laid locked and hidden. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thinking back to his conversation with Loki, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Yes. I did have a purpose Loki, but then I grew to know you, I grew to see you for who you were, My Son. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The son you killed,/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" his subconscious screamed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No Loki," the very words he said when Loki let go. Willing to fall into the abyss of nothing. For days and nights, nothing but mourning. How a prince of Asgard could feel so low, to simply let go. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Looking at his right hand, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"it shakes/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The irony made him laugh. He was against the plan in the first place. He didn't want Loki to be involved, while for different reasons… reasons were reasons. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"No, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he thought. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Reasons are not reasons. I was an old man scared, I was a king first but not a father. This is the price. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gut instincts told him, he had wronged Loki. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He couldn't tell how much time had transpired, but it grew cold and dark. A tingling chain frocked in the background. He didn't need to look back to know who it was and so he said, "Frigga."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Odin." She responded in kind as she sat beside him. Both intently starring at the Casket of Ancient Winters as it laid on the table . "I miss him," she whispered. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Aye, so do I," Odin replied. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Minutes turned to hours. There was no real comprehension of time. It seemed like an infinite supply, of being in their own little world. Just staring at the Casket of Ancient Winters. Loki's rightful Casket. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I remember when he was little, would run around playing pranks and jokes," Odin spoke. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Frigga smiled, letting a tear loose. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I should have done better. I should have told him who he was younger," Odin finally said. It felt like a relief lifted of his shoulders. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We both did what we thought was in our son's best interest," Frigga commented, her eyes still glued on the Casket. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She could still remember the day Odin brought Little Loki. Wrapped in his fur, a small blue Jotun. At a single touch, shapeshifting into Aesir. The second he did, no question or remarks was needed. Frigga had already made her mind, Loki was hers. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Home is not where your born, it's where you choose it to be. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The irony didn't fall far from her. They protected Loki because he wouldn't be accepted as a Frost Giant, sworn enemies of Asgard. Fascist opinions were nothing less of being a negative impact. Ideals stilled and bore into Loki's upbringing. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Because I'm the monster parents tell their children about at night. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ringing like a melody she could still remember. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I sent him to his doom./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Do you remember when Loki was a child and he'd make life like illusions and trick Thor into tackling him?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Wee little things hiding behind doors. It was because of Loki you had to up the cells downstairs. He kept walking through them," smiled Frigga. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment, Odin stilled. He could have sworn, that the Casket of Winters ever so slightly changed colours. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Odin?" queered Frigga./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment, the temperature dropped. It was Odin's seidr, acting in his own accords to the Casket of Ancient winters. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Husband?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's my Seidr, it's pulling me to the Casket."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Looking at the Casket. "I wonder," he muttered. The Casket of Ancient winters was not only just a weapon, but a living heartbeat of all those with Jotun blood. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Letting Frigga go, he stood and walked towards it. His youngest was smart beyond recognition. Loki wasn't just a god of lies, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"no Loki was the god of deception/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He cheated death once, why not again/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He was part Jotun. It was unknown, but he knew, and he had long ago accepted it. That was the difference between him and his Son, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I accepted but he didn't. Then again, maybe that's the answer. Difference. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Asgard was and still now is considered as a superior race. A race that protects other realms, but the hidden meaning behind it. Long accepted in the silent shadows, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Asgardians are better. Maybe that is the issue. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He let his hands touch the Casket of Ancient Winters. He felt the energy flow, he felt everything. The heart of Jotunheim pulsing through his very veins. Every living heartbeat swarmed through the Ancient Winters. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He watched and learned how Jotunheim, while a brutish ice planet flourished in culture and texture. He could see and feel emotions, the very emotions shared by Asgardians, fear, sorrow, happiness, joy, suffering and curiosity./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I was wrong. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Like them, like other realms, education and cultural learning. They were not different. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It wasn't long before he noticed the royals, Helblindi and Byleistr. Loki's blood relatives, his older brothers. He could sense them in the palace of Jotunheim. The runes, the royal family runes scared on their very skin from birth. Time was infinite when holding the Casket of Ancient winters, he could feel fatigue kicking in. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Nothing on Jotunheim. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Just as all hope seemed to die, he asked himself, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"where would Loki go/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". He dared not risk raising his hopes, but he dared the norms to prove him wrong and so, he allowed himself to go as far as the nine realms. Letting his seidr fuel the Casket of Ancient Winters. He willed it on. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Still no Loki/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He fell into the void, Heimdall couldn't see him. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Panic filling in, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Outside the nine. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He could feel it, a quaint, faint heartbeat from eons away. Outside the cluster of the nine realms. His son was strong, where he lacked in physical combat, he more than made up for it in seidr. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The exiled lands. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Lands Odin long ago gave up conquering. He remembered those days very well. War and confrontation. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"How, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he mused. He couldn't help but smile, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Only you Loki, only you/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". Loki was indeed a treasure and gift. Stripping the complications down, Odin knew Loki was always a scholar. It made sense he would have found a way out. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He could see and feel the texture, he could sense the rich history ravaged across the lands, but then he could hear the ever-growing heartbeat, that grow louder and louder with every growing anticipation. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was like astral travelling, his mind and soul willing his floating body across the lands, across the sea, into the heart of the cavern at the foot of the volcano. Only, the pool wasn't hot or burning lava. It was a calm flowing stream of white with darkened blue lines. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Strange./spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" He carried down on the path, getting ever so close to the living heartbeat. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was sudden and quick. Odin's body froze at what laid before him. In the heart of what was an oval pool. In the white stream was Loki. His son. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Loki/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", he yearned. A tear trickling down. He could do nothing but watch as Loki laid in a slumber. His son scarred and bruised, messy bushed hair frocking against the dampened water. His missing arm. It was too much for him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment Loki's eye opened. He wasn't awake, but he wasn't asleep. Odin saw it clear as day. Dark blue fluids being released. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Jotun's bleed light blue/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He'd heard stories, he'd heard tales. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It's a discharge. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Loki's body was cleansing the infection. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The mind stone. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dark blue. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"That means… you were controlled. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment, Odin remembered a conversation that he had with the general after Thor had bought Loki back from Midgard in the war room. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You know Odin," Tyr started as he drank a flask of mead. "It amazes me still, how Loki lost on Midgard."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh? And why is that general? Have no faith in the mortals?" asked Odin. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Neigh my King, Tis the fact Loki was a tactician. I'm just surprised he didn't shape shift into one of the leaders of Midgard." Tyr chuckled./spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Were you trying to stall the war? Did you lose on purpose Son? /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Now Odin thought about it. Loki specialised in being cunning, sneaky and devious. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Didn't Thor's report tell me how he publicly told Midgard's heroes his plan? /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He never mentioned Loki shape shifting into anyone. He wore his armour and bashfully went about. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Starring at his still Son, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"what are you hiding Loki?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Come home," Frigga's words echoed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He heard her, Frigga's voice echoing. He glanced once more at his Son, "I might have been ignorant before, but not anymore. I will have answers Loki."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Letting the Casket of Ancient winters go was easier than he had expected. Snow filled the vault room. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"So, it's true/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Using the Casket of Ancient winters comes with a price./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Frigga?", he asked. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm fine husband," she said standing tall. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Odin noticed it, she was livelier, like she knew as well, a spring in her step and voice. She was the queen of Asgard for a reason. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He's alive," she finally said. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Weak, barely," he gasped. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Picking up some snow and letting it run through her hand she trembled, "Why does he not come home, is he hurt? We should go get him!" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Odin stared at his wife, humming in acceptance but shaking his head to decline. "I can't… I won't. He will return when he see's fit."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""NO!" she screamed. "I want my son back. He has been punished enough!" She was revered as a Queen for a reason. After all, it was her who taught Loki the art of Seidr. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Raising his tempo, letting his own Seidr flow to match that of his Wife. He screamed, "I won't betray my son anymore. No longer will I cast him to the shadows!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A new-self-found respect was brewing. Frigga had known Odin for over a 1000 years and always, when it came to Loki he presumed he knew best. Letting her lips curved she let her seidr light the vault room. One by one, flames grew alight on the mantles around the vault and in turn, the snow befallen melted away into nothing. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I watched him let go Frigga. I watched him willingly die. He let go to die… I refuse, to betray Loki. If this is how it's to be, then so be it and now… and now." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A gentle touch, a Queen's touch calmed his nerve. "I understand."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Pushing past and walking to the door. "Tell Heimdall to ready the bifrost to Midgard."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Odin?" she reached out. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I saw Loki. I saw remnants of the mind stone," remarked Odin. Staring deeply into Frigga's eyes. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What did you see?" fear trembling in her eyes. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I have a suspicion that needs to be confirmed. In my place you are regent."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You will go yourself?" questioned the Queen. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Aiie, I will learn what transpired between my Son and the mortals below." Answered Odin before turning and making his way to his chambers. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"(*)/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She was a wild thing, tusks of ivory, skin white as snow. Like her prince, she too had runes. Like her prince, she was a runt as well. Reunited with her master. She purred and growled as you walked around the lake. She could sense him. She could sense the familiarity. They were kin. So, she did nothing. She simply sat and watched the interaction. She watched as the old man floated and paced around her master. She watched how he simply vanished into thin air like magic, her eyes growing ever so wide in astonishment. She neared the water's edge where she watched her master resting peacefully. She watched how everything in the cavern was white and blue. She watched how her master had dark blue goo oozing out and being washed away. She wasn't bothered nor phased, what she was interested in though, was that every so often, a blue box would appear floating above her master. Appear and disappear. Like a calling. Something trying to come. It was a wee thing, a size of a ring? Maybe smaller. Unless you could squint, against the camouflaging canvas of the inside cavern. You would never know, but she did. She was her master's pet. Loyal to the cause, huffing and puffing, letting a yawn and a howl shriek, she knew, that she would keep it a secret. After all, it was a game. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"-/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Review, follow and favorite if you enjoyed it and want to be notified as more chapters are posted. Please note this story is cross posted to A03. Any and all lemons that story will eventually have will be posted there. Till next time!/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Main writer: King Evil/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Secondary writer editor: LittleRaccoon (me!)/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Disclaimer: We do not own anything expect the plot at this point. And even parts of that isn't owned by us./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Chapter key:/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Flashback/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thoughts/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Spoken words"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"(*) Scene change/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"-/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Night had pondered over Asgard. A harsh storm brewing with Thunder rumbling. The golden realm of paradise was nothing more than dire ash. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The alignment has been stopped, the 9 realms had been saved under Asgard's might, yet it was a hollow victory. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thor nodded to Heimdall and walked past leaving the Bifrost. It wasn't as cheerful as it should be. The dark elves had wreaked havoc trying to come get the aether. More significantly, Asgard had lost it's second prince. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Is he still recognised as a prince?,/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" His gut questioning him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As he neared the main chamber of the palace. All was silent. Darkness reined the halls of Asgard. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""All-father." grunted Thor. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Is it true?" the fallen shadow spoke from the throne. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thor eyed Odin. He wore his gold armour, but even thor could tell. Emotions damned the armour, tinted in a dull lighting. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes Father," Thor solemnly replied. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Odin uttered no words, he looked at Thor for what felt like a century, but merely lasted a few seconds. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Go find your mother," Odin whispered at long last. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Fa-"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""LEAVE!" Odin screamed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was a long time, since Odin has last screamed at Thor. Even more so, to see the seidr within burn. Asgard has greatly favoured men to follow the route of a warrior aspect, but every residing Asgardian and those outside of the realm knew, Odin was proficient in both arts, but even Thor knew knowing and seeing were two different matters. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Holding his tongue still, while various soldiers and servants ran about trying to put flames out, Thor watched how tapestries across the hall begun to blaze a dark pure blue. It was mesmerizing, Odin's seidr instinctively reacting to his emotions. Thor watched how the bright yellow tapestry flickered back and forth as it let of grey smoke. Sighing, he turned around and left the All-father. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The main tapestry behind glinted a faint green as it was washed out. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"(*)/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" It was beyond the darkest hours, glimpsing to the light of dawn when Odin finally decided to move. Ignoring plights, family and enquiries. It felt peaceful /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"in that moment,/span span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not being King/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", mused Odin. Remembering his last conversation with his youngest Son, Odin walked down the dark shallowed halls. Yes, the servants were around, various lords and soldiers moving and working, but that didn't matter, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not now anyway. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Asgard was always forgiving of themselves. Attributes metaphorically being a replica of humane emotion. They understood, the king needed to grieve. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sitting down on the stairs, he looked at where the winter casket laid. Having been discovered and preserved from the wreckage of the bifrost. It was laid locked and hidden. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Thinking back to his conversation with Loki, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Yes. I did have a purpose Loki, but then I grew to know you, I grew to see you for who you were, My Son. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The son you killed,/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" his subconscious screamed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No Loki," the very words he said when Loki let go. Willing to fall into the abyss of nothing. For days and nights, nothing but mourning. How a prince of Asgard could feel so low, to simply let go. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Looking at his right hand, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"it shakes/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The irony made him laugh. He was against the plan in the first place. He didn't want Loki to be involved, while for different reasons… reasons were reasons. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"No, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he thought. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Reasons are not reasons. I was an old man scared, I was a king first but not a father. This is the price. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gut instincts told him, he had wronged Loki. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He couldn't tell how much time had transpired, but it grew cold and dark. A tingling chain frocked in the background. He didn't need to look back to know who it was and so he said, "Frigga."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Odin." She responded in kind as she sat beside him. Both intently starring at the Casket of Ancient Winters as it laid on the table . "I miss him," she whispered. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Aye, so do I," Odin replied. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Minutes turned to hours. There was no real comprehension of time. It seemed like an infinite supply, of being in their own little world. Just staring at the Casket of Ancient Winters. Loki's rightful Casket. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I remember when he was little, would run around playing pranks and jokes," Odin spoke. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Frigga smiled, letting a tear loose. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I should have done better. I should have told him who he was younger," Odin finally said. It felt like a relief lifted of his shoulders. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We both did what we thought was in our son's best interest," Frigga commented, her eyes still glued on the Casket. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She could still remember the day Odin brought Little Loki. Wrapped in his fur, a small blue Jotun. At a single touch, shapeshifting into Aesir. The second he did, no question or remarks was needed. Frigga had already made her mind, Loki was hers. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Home is not where your born, it's where you choose it to be. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The irony didn't fall far from her. They protected Loki because he wouldn't be accepted as a Frost Giant, sworn enemies of Asgard. Fascist opinions were nothing less of being a negative impact. Ideals stilled and bore into Loki's upbringing. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Because I'm the monster parents tell their children about at night. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ringing like a melody she could still remember. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I sent him to his doom./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Do you remember when Loki was a child and he'd make life like illusions and trick Thor into tackling him?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Wee little things hiding behind doors. It was because of Loki you had to up the cells downstairs. He kept walking through them," smiled Frigga. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment, Odin stilled. He could have sworn, that the Casket of Winters ever so slightly changed colours. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Odin?" queered Frigga./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment, the temperature dropped. It was Odin's seidr, acting in his own accords to the Casket of Ancient winters. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Husband?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's my Seidr, it's pulling me to the Casket."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Looking at the Casket. "I wonder," he muttered. The Casket of Ancient winters was not only just a weapon, but a living heartbeat of all those with Jotun blood. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Letting Frigga go, he stood and walked towards it. His youngest was smart beyond recognition. Loki wasn't just a god of lies, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"no Loki was the god of deception/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He cheated death once, why not again/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He was part Jotun. It was unknown, but he knew, and he had long ago accepted it. That was the difference between him and his Son, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I accepted but he didn't. Then again, maybe that's the answer. Difference. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Asgard was and still now is considered as a superior race. A race that protects other realms, but the hidden meaning behind it. Long accepted in the silent shadows, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Asgardians are better. Maybe that is the issue. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He let his hands touch the Casket of Ancient Winters. He felt the energy flow, he felt everything. The heart of Jotunheim pulsing through his very veins. Every living heartbeat swarmed through the Ancient Winters. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He watched and learned how Jotunheim, while a brutish ice planet flourished in culture and texture. He could see and feel emotions, the very emotions shared by Asgardians, fear, sorrow, happiness, joy, suffering and curiosity./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I was wrong. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Like them, like other realms, education and cultural learning. They were not different. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It wasn't long before he noticed the royals, Helblindi and Byleistr. Loki's blood relatives, his older brothers. He could sense them in the palace of Jotunheim. The runes, the royal family runes scared on their very skin from birth. Time was infinite when holding the Casket of Ancient winters, he could feel fatigue kicking in. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Nothing on Jotunheim. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Just as all hope seemed to die, he asked himself, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"where would Loki go/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". He dared not risk raising his hopes, but he dared the norms to prove him wrong and so, he allowed himself to go as far as the nine realms. Letting his seidr fuel the Casket of Ancient Winters. He willed it on. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Still no Loki/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He fell into the void, Heimdall couldn't see him. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Panic filling in, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Outside the nine. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He could feel it, a quaint, faint heartbeat from eons away. Outside the cluster of the nine realms. His son was strong, where he lacked in physical combat, he more than made up for it in seidr. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The exiled lands. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Lands Odin long ago gave up conquering. He remembered those days very well. War and confrontation. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"How, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he mused. He couldn't help but smile, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Only you Loki, only you/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". Loki was indeed a treasure and gift. Stripping the complications down, Odin knew Loki was always a scholar. It made sense he would have found a way out. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He could see and feel the texture, he could sense the rich history ravaged across the lands, but then he could hear the ever-growing heartbeat, that grow louder and louder with every growing anticipation. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was like astral travelling, his mind and soul willing his floating body across the lands, across the sea, into the heart of the cavern at the foot of the volcano. Only, the pool wasn't hot or burning lava. It was a calm flowing stream of white with darkened blue lines. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Strange./spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" He carried down on the path, getting ever so close to the living heartbeat. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was sudden and quick. Odin's body froze at what laid before him. In the heart of what was an oval pool. In the white stream was Loki. His son. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Loki/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", he yearned. A tear trickling down. He could do nothing but watch as Loki laid in a slumber. His son scarred and bruised, messy bushed hair frocking against the dampened water. His missing arm. It was too much for him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment Loki's eye opened. He wasn't awake, but he wasn't asleep. Odin saw it clear as day. Dark blue fluids being released. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Jotun's bleed light blue/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He'd heard stories, he'd heard tales. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It's a discharge. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Loki's body was cleansing the infection. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The mind stone. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dark blue. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"That means… you were controlled. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment, Odin remembered a conversation that he had with the general after Thor had bought Loki back from Midgard in the war room. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You know Odin," Tyr started as he drank a flask of mead. "It amazes me still, how Loki lost on Midgard."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh? And why is that general? Have no faith in the mortals?" asked Odin. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Neigh my King, Tis the fact Loki was a tactician. I'm just surprised he didn't shape shift into one of the leaders of Midgard." Tyr chuckled./spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Were you trying to stall the war? Did you lose on purpose Son? /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Now Odin thought about it. Loki specialised in being cunning, sneaky and devious. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Didn't Thor's report tell me how he publicly told Midgard's heroes his plan? /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He never mentioned Loki shape shifting into anyone. He wore his armour and bashfully went about. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Starring at his still Son, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"what are you hiding Loki?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Come home," Frigga's words echoed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He heard her, Frigga's voice echoing. He glanced once more at his Son, "I might have been ignorant before, but not anymore. I will have answers Loki."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Letting the Casket of Ancient winters go was easier than he had expected. Snow filled the vault room. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"So, it's true/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;". /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Using the Casket of Ancient winters comes with a price./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Frigga?", he asked. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm fine husband," she said standing tall. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Odin noticed it, she was livelier, like she knew as well, a spring in her step and voice. She was the queen of Asgard for a reason. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He's alive," she finally said. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Weak, barely," he gasped. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Picking up some snow and letting it run through her hand she trembled, "Why does he not come home, is he hurt? We should go get him!" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Odin stared at his wife, humming in acceptance but shaking his head to decline. "I can't… I won't. He will return when he see's fit."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""NO!" she screamed. "I want my son back. He has been punished enough!" She was revered as a Queen for a reason. After all, it was her who taught Loki the art of Seidr. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Raising his tempo, letting his own Seidr flow to match that of his Wife. He screamed, "I won't betray my son anymore. No longer will I cast him to the shadows!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A new-self-found respect was brewing. Frigga had known Odin for over a 1000 years and always, when it came to Loki he presumed he knew best. Letting her lips curved she let her seidr light the vault room. One by one, flames grew alight on the mantles around the vault and in turn, the snow befallen melted away into nothing. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I watched him let go Frigga. I watched him willingly die. He let go to die… I refuse, to betray Loki. If this is how it's to be, then so be it and now… and now." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A gentle touch, a Queen's touch calmed his nerve. "I understand."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Pushing past and walking to the door. "Tell Heimdall to ready the bifrost to Midgard."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Odin?" she reached out. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I saw Loki. I saw remnants of the mind stone," remarked Odin. Staring deeply into Frigga's eyes. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What did you see?" fear trembling in her eyes. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I have a suspicion that needs to be confirmed. In my place you are regent."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You will go yourself?" questioned the Queen. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Aiie, I will learn what transpired between my Son and the mortals below." Answered Odin before turning and making his way to his chambers. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"(*)/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She was a wild thing, tusks of ivory, skin white as snow. Like her prince, she too had runes. Like her prince, she was a runt as well. Reunited with her master. She purred and growled as you walked around the lake. She could sense him. She could sense the familiarity. They were kin. So, she did nothing. She simply sat and watched the interaction. She watched as the old man floated and paced around her master. She watched how he simply vanished into thin air like magic, her eyes growing ever so wide in astonishment. She neared the water's edge where she watched her master resting peacefully. She watched how everything in the cavern was white and blue. She watched how her master had dark blue goo oozing out and being washed away. She wasn't bothered nor phased, what she was interested in though, was that every so often, a blue box would appear floating above her master. Appear and disappear. Like a calling. Something trying to come. It was a wee thing, a size of a ring? Maybe smaller. Unless you could squint, against the camouflaging canvas of the inside cavern. You would never know, but she did. She was her master's pet. Loyal to the cause, huffing and puffing, letting a yawn and a howl shriek, she knew, that she would keep it a secret. After all, it was a game. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"-/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Review, follow and favorite if you enjoyed it and want to be notified as more chapters are posted. Please note this story is cross posted to A03. Any and all lemons that story will eventually have will be posted there. Till next time!/span/p